ttystikk
Well-Known Member
"There’s been plenty of ink spilled about how “fake news” is affecting current discourse, but something more disturbing is happening: We’re experiencing different realities of the same event — and that reality is solidified every time these alternate storylines are repeated."
Full article;
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/5/18/15646098/right-wing-media-collective-memories
Media manipulation is becoming the norm, not the exception. The right wing news and opinion sources hold up a 'liberal media bias' Strawman to inoculate their sympathetic viewers against the straight news reporting delivered by mainstream outlets.
Those on the political Left and Right are no longer even seeing the same events on their favorite media outlets, let alone different versions. This is contributing to what I see as an intentional confusion of the basic facts of major political stories and creating conditions where people can't even agree on the fundamentals of a story, let alone discuss their differing viewpoints of it. Since each side does not understand the other's narrative, dialogue becomes difficult and mutual understanding unlikely.
Who benefits?
There's no way this isn't intentional on the part of various news and opinion outlets. Breitbart, for instance is well known to shamelessly spin stories to its point of view, ignoring basic points of context contradictory to the message it wants to portray. More disturbingly, Breitbart's own Steve Bannon is deeply embedded in the White House and is well versed in creating and shaping news to suit his political viewpoints. This isn't a conspiracy; they're not bothering to hide it. Quite the opposite; it's constantly plastered across the front page of their websites.
Instead, there's a carefully constructed wedge being driven into the American electorate's perception of news events with the intention of creating division and distraction. Where in the past no sitting politician would have gotten away with what the Trump administration has been doing, now there's a paralysing debate between left and right about whether it's even real, let alone right or wrong!
Full article;
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/5/18/15646098/right-wing-media-collective-memories
Media manipulation is becoming the norm, not the exception. The right wing news and opinion sources hold up a 'liberal media bias' Strawman to inoculate their sympathetic viewers against the straight news reporting delivered by mainstream outlets.
Those on the political Left and Right are no longer even seeing the same events on their favorite media outlets, let alone different versions. This is contributing to what I see as an intentional confusion of the basic facts of major political stories and creating conditions where people can't even agree on the fundamentals of a story, let alone discuss their differing viewpoints of it. Since each side does not understand the other's narrative, dialogue becomes difficult and mutual understanding unlikely.
Who benefits?
There's no way this isn't intentional on the part of various news and opinion outlets. Breitbart, for instance is well known to shamelessly spin stories to its point of view, ignoring basic points of context contradictory to the message it wants to portray. More disturbingly, Breitbart's own Steve Bannon is deeply embedded in the White House and is well versed in creating and shaping news to suit his political viewpoints. This isn't a conspiracy; they're not bothering to hide it. Quite the opposite; it's constantly plastered across the front page of their websites.
Instead, there's a carefully constructed wedge being driven into the American electorate's perception of news events with the intention of creating division and distraction. Where in the past no sitting politician would have gotten away with what the Trump administration has been doing, now there's a paralysing debate between left and right about whether it's even real, let alone right or wrong!